Thousands of greyhounds will need new homes after racing ban passes in Florida

Adoption organizations in the Pacific Northwest are planning to help

During a race, greyhounds chase a mechanical lure makes a squeaky noise as it circles the track.

During a race, greyhounds chase a mechanical lure makes a squeaky noise as it circles the track.

Photo: Photo For The Washington Post By Scott McIntyre

Photo: Photo For The Washington Post By Scott McIntyre

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During a race, greyhounds chase a mechanical lure makes a squeaky noise as it circles the track.

During a race, greyhounds chase a mechanical lure makes a squeaky noise as it circles the track.

Photo: Photo For The Washington Post By Scott McIntyre

Thousands of greyhounds will need new homes after racing ban passes in Florida

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The passage of a new law in Florida to end greyhound racing means thousands of dogs will need to find new homes.

Many of those dogs will find homes in Washington.

An estimate by The Washington Post showed at least 6,000 racing dogs will need to be relocated after Amendment 13, which will bring an end to greyhound racing in Florida before January 2021, passed with 69 percent voter approval. It needed 60 percent approval to pass.

"The historical consequences of this are incredibly significant," Carey Theil, executive director of GREY2K USA, told the Orlando Sentinel. "We're seeing one of the highest approvals of any animal welfare measure in the nation."

Adoption organizations across the country, including those in the Pacific Northwest, will help find homes for the thousands of dogs who are being taken off the track.

Greyhound Pets, Inc. (GPI), a greyhound adoption organization based in Woodinville, Washington that services the entire Pacific Northwest, said in a Wednesday blog post that over 50 dogs are expected to arrive at the nonprofit from Florida, Kansas, Alabama and other countries before the end of the year, though the number of dogs and arrival dates may change.

They will likely not be immediately available for adoption or foster, either, GPI said in the blog post. They will need to be vetted first, which will include spaying, neutering and dental cleaning, before they can be made available.

Greyhound Pets of America Greater Northwest, which services primarily Idaho and Washington, posted on Facebook that it expects to receive 70 or more dogs to arrive during the month of November. The post says the organization will spend an estimated $650 per dog for transportation and veterinary bills.

Racing will be phased out, so while some dogs will need new homes this year, others will need to move in 2019 and 2020, according to GPI.

"Rest assured, the dogs are all fine. And there is no need to panic," the GPI blog post states. "We are working with other groups to coordinate hauls and dog movements."

There are ways to help retired greyhound other than adopting and fostering. GPI recommends donating cash, kibble, treats, supplies and bedding. Volunteering to clean kennels and walk the dogs also helps.

"We are recommending that you not donate to random GoFundMe requests or other on-line fund raisers, but rather donate directly to or volunteer with your local greyhound adoption group so you know your donations and volunteering will directly help the greyhounds," GPI said in a blog post.

Greyhounds love people and tend to be sociable dogs, according to adopt-a-greyhound.org. The dogs are sight hounds that chase and can run up to 45 mph for short periods.

This article has been corrected to accurately reflect that GPI is a nonprofit greyhound adoption organization, and the greyhounds in need of homes are retired, not rescues. Information from GPI came from the blog post linked in the article.